Jun 29th 2010
Imani Winds' "Terra Incognita" out on August 24

ew York, NY - Imani Winds and E1 Music are pleased to announce that Imani Winds' Terra Incognita will be available on August 24. The album marks the fifth release on E1 for Imani Winds which has, since the Grammy nominated debut release in 2005, established itself as the premier wind quintet in North America. The recording - titled Terra Incognita after Wayne Shorter's piece written for the group - celebrates new additions to the woodwind quintet repertoire with three unique compositions by jazz greats Jason Moran, Paquito D'Rivera and Mr. Shorter. These works, commissioned and written for the enterprising Imani Winds for their Legacy Project, have become staples in their repertoire, and audience favorites.

That these three internationally renowned artists have chosen Imani Winds as the interpreter for their composition is a source of great honor for the group. Each piece on the album re-imagines the definition of standard American chamber music by incorporating colorful harmonic language and, especially in the case of the title track, a unique perspective on structure. Terra Incognita, which means "unknown land," is the first piece Wayne Shorter has ever written for another ensemble. It is infused with his unique harmonic language, but also honors the institution of the traditional woodwind quintet. Written in 2008, it was premiered at the La Jolla Chamber Music Festival and performed at Carnegie Hall. Master clarinet player Paquito D'Rivera joins the Imani Winds on his own piece, Kites, along with pianist Alex Brown. Paquito's work captures the spirit of his youth and the soaring kites he recalls in Havana, Cuba, where he lived until 1981, before defecting to the United States. Jason Moran's Cane reminisces about his family's history in rural Louisiana, in the town of Natchitoches. Creole flavors infuse this four-movement work, as does his pride in his family's strong and determined roots.

TRACKS
Jason Moran / Cane
Wayne Shorter / Terra Incognita
Paquito D'Rivera / Kites (featuring Paquito D'Rivera & Alex Brown)

"Wayne is who he is because he can tap into the spirit. He can touch the hand of God, so to speak, and you hear it, you feel it, it resounds right to the tip of your toes. If you feel the earth rumble when you hear Wayne, that's your spirit moving because he's moving it." - Imani Winds' Valerie Coleman

"They've been pushing the window in the classical world, oh, man, have you heard them?" - Wayne Shorter


IMANI WINDS
More than North America's premier wind quintet, Imani Winds has established itself as one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the United States. Since 1997, the Grammy nominated quintet has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, genre-blurring collaborations, and inspirational outreach programs. With two member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions.

LEGACY COMMISSIONING PROJECT
Imani Winds is in the midst of its Legacy Commissioning Project, an ambitious five-year endeavor launching the group into its second decade of music making. The ensemble is commissioning, premiering and touring ten new works for woodwind quintet written by established and emerging composers of diverse musical backgrounds. The select composers originate from different points of the globe bringing a wide range of sounds and experiences. The Legacy Project kicked off in 2008 with world premieres by Alvin Singleton and Roberto Sierra. Since then, projects have included Jason Moran's Cane and Stefon Harris' Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal and Wind). The 2010-11 season will highlight new works by Danilo Perez and Simon Shaheen.

IMANI WINDS ON TOUR
Sept. 23, 2010 / Clemson, University, Clemson, SC
Sept. 25, 2010 / Huntsville Chamber Music Guild, Huntsville, AL
Sept. 26, 2010 / Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC
Sept. 30, 2010 / Pro Musica, Joplin, MO
Oct. 15, 2010 / Omaha Performing Arts Society, Omaha, NE
Nov. 6, 2010 / Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
Nov. 7, 2010 / Gardiner Museum, Boston, MA
Nov. 14, 2010 / San Antonio Chamber Music, San Antonio, TX
Nov. 15, 2010 / Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC
Nov. 19, 2010 / University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Nov. 20, 2010 / St. Cloud Chamber Music Society, St. Cloud, MN
Nov. 21. 2010 / Music in the Parks, St. Paul, MN
Dec. 4, 2010 / Bucknell University, Lewisberg, PA

TRACK INFORMATION
Jason Moran / Cane
1 I Togo to Natchitoches
2 II Coin Coin's Narrative
3 III Gens Libre de Couleur
4 IV Natchitoches to New York

Wayne Shorter
5 Terra Incognita

Paquito D'Rivera / Kites
with Paquito D'Rivera, clarinet & Alex Brown, piano
6 I Kites over Havana
7 II Wind Chimes

Wayne Shorter
8 Terra Incognita - bonus track version will be available on iTunes only

Recorded December, 2009 at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY; Produced by Susan Napodano DelGiorno and Silas Brown; Engineered by Silas Brown; Assistant Engineer: Charlie Post.

Paquito D'Rivera: Kites Over Havana (Written for Imani Winds)
Commissioned by Fontana Chamber Arts, Kalamazoo MI; Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver, Denver CO; The Carver Community Cultural Center with the support of The Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts; and Imani Winds. Premiered on March 1, 2005 at Alice Tully Hall, New York.

Wayne Shorter: Terra Incognita (Written for Imani Winds)
Commissioned by La Jolla Music Society, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Da Camera of Houston and The Library of Congress. Premiered on August 18, 2006 at Sherwood Auditorium, La Jolla CA.

Jason Moran: Cane (Written for Imani Winds)
Commissioned by the Mary Flager Cary Charitable Trust and The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Premiered on October 24, 2008 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia PA.


* * *

LINKS
www.imaniwinds.com
www.facebook.com/imaniwinds
www.twitter.com/imaniwinds
www.allianceartistmanagement.com
www.kochrecords.com

Jun 28th 2010
"Nine Decades: Volume 1" now on vinyl

he debut release for Ravi Shankar's East Meets West Music, Nine Decades: Volume 1, is now available on vinyl at Amazon.com.

Jun 16th 2010
Imani Winds' "Terra Incognita" scheduled for August 24 release

he Imani Winds' fifth recording for E1 Music celebrates new additions to the woodwind quintet repertoire with three unique compositions by jazz greats Jason Moran, Paquito D'Rivera and Wayne Shorter. The works, written for and commissioned by the Imani Winds for their Legacy Project, have become staples in their concerts, garnering rave reviews.

"They've been pushing the window in the classical world, oh, man, have you heard them?" - Wayne Shorter

Apr 22nd 2010
Imani Winds' Legacy Commissioning Project rolls on

hree years ago in 2007, the Imani Winds embarked on a five-year commissioning project commemorating the ensemble's tenth anniversary through the commissioning of compositions by established and emerging composers of color.

Below is a status report of the project, including works, composers and premiere dates.

* * *

Stefon Harris / Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal and Wind)
September 25, 2009 @ University of Iowa / Iowa City, IA (world premiere)

Jason Moran / Cane
October 24, 2008 @ Kimmel Center / Philadelphia, PA (world premiere)

Danilo Perez / title tba
April 4, 2011 @ Tuesday Musical Club / Akron, OH (world premiere)

Daniel Bernard Roumain / Five Chairs and One Table
March 8, 2009 @ Carnegie Hall / NYC (world premiere)

Jeff Scott
premiere date unknown
title tba

Simon Shaheen / Zafir
February 6, 2011 @ Peak Performances / Montclair State University (world premiere)

Wayne Shorter / Terra Incognita
August 16, 2006 @ La Jolla Music Society / La Jolla, CA (world premiere)

Roberto Sierra / Concierto de Camara
July 21, 22, 2008 @ Chamber Music Northwest / Portland, OR (World Premiere)

Alvin Singleton / Through it All
February 8, 2008 @ Spivey Hall at Clayton State University / Morrow, GA (World Premiere)

Apr 21st 2010
Imani Winds to premiere Simon Shaheen's "Zafir" in 2011

n February 6, 2011, Imani Winds will perform the world premiere of Simon Shaheen's Zafir at Monclair State University in New Jersey.

The piece is jointly commissioned by Peak Performances at Kasser Theater at Montclair State University and the DeBartolo Center for Performing Arts at University of Notre Dame, and Chamber Music America. The work will be performed at the DeBartolo Center on April 2, 2011.


Composer's remarks:

Zafir (a gentle breath)
First movement: demonstrates the sound of unison played by varied combinations of wind instruments utilizing the maqam system with its microtonal intervals. In this movement the concept of unison is not playing exactly the same notes and dynamics only, but also using heterophonic texture in which instrumentalists perform the same melody, but give it different embellishments as well as playing layers of leading melodies on the various instruments with drones and ritornellos on others. This movement brings the sound of Upper Egypt winds playing the same melodies in combinations that produce new sonorities.

Second movement: consists of two parts: the first is a dance-like theme that follows a lively simple meter called Wahdah Basita in a moderate tempo. The second part incorporates passages in which short improvisational solos alternate with pre-composed ensemble refrains in a call and response fashion. In this part each improvisational solo is based on a different metric pattern that reveals the intricacy of the inner subdivision found in rhythmic modes.

Third Movement: a folkloric melody originated in the Levant becomes the springboard for a theme and variations. Each of the variations is played by one of the five instruments accompanied by counter melodic lines and rhythmic figures. It is rather a harmonic sound in a linear progression.

Apr 13th 2010
Imani Winds to hold open Chamber Institute auditions in NYC

ue to high demand, the Imani Winds' Chamber Music Institute will hold open auditions in NYC on May 6th. The auditions are held on a first-come, first-served basis and the application fee is due upon sign-in. Musicians interested in auditioning can either fill out an application online, or apply the day of the audition as a walk-in applicant. Preference in audition order is given to online-registered musicians (those who have filled out the online application and have paid the application fee prior to May 5th).

Accompanied performances are not required.

NYC OPEN AUDITION
May 6th, 2010
Saint Peter's Lutheran Church
619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Street
2PM-9PM

FEES
Online-registered application fee: $40 (by May 5th)
Application fee for walk-in applicants: $50

For more information, visit: www.iw-institute.com

Apr 8th 2010
"Nine Decades: Volume 1" is availabe at iTunes

avi Shankar's Nine Decades: Volume 1 is available early at iTunes. While the official release is April 13, the album is available for download here.

Mar 31st 2010
East Meets West Music Releases "Nine Decades: Vol. 1 (1967-68)"

The label's debut release celebrates Ravi Shankar's 90th birthday on April 7, 2010

New York, NY - East Meets West Music, the official label of the Ravi Shankar Foundation, is pleased to announce that its inaugural release, Nine Decades: Volume 1, will be available on April 13 (with April 21 marking the release of the limited-edition vinyl version).

The Nine Decades series features rare and never-before released recordings hand-picked by Ravi Shankar from his vast archive and lovingly remastered for an optimum listening experience. With live performances and studio recordings pivotal to his development as an artist and reflective of unique times and places, the Nine Decades series provides insightful perspective on a career that spans 70-plus years and is a direct bridge between the artist himself and his listeners.

Ravi Shankar
Nine Decades: Volume 1 (1967-68)
Raga Gangeshwari, the centerpiece of Volume 1, takes listeners to an outdoor concert at a temple on the banks of the Ganges in 1968. Though recorded with one hand-held microphone, Raga Gangeshwari is representative of the archives many treasures, which the artist describes in his liner notes as "not recorded with sophisticated audio equipment and yet they exhibit the power of life in live performance that has a value beyond any technological shortcomings." The intimate quality of the recording and virtuosic playing allows listeners to experience a page from the artist's diary circa 1968. Raga Gangeshwari is performed with Kamala Chakravarty on tanpura and the great Ustad Alla Rakha on tabla. Also featured on this volume is Vedic chanting by temple priests, as well as audience reactions to an early performance in the West.

East Meets West Music
East Meets West Music is the official recording label of The Ravi Shankar Foundation. With unique access to an archive featuring thousands of hours of live performance audio, film footage, interviews, and studio masters, EMWMusic releases recordings of superior quality, and provides audiences with the definitive portrait of Ravi Shankar's long career. And, in keeping with Ravi's dedication to looking forward and not back, EMWMusic provides a vibrant platform for new artists, projects, and collaborations.

The name of the label, East Meets West, points to the Shankar philosophy of exploration, experimentation and cross-pollination. The vast archive features performances and appearances by an extraordinarily eclectic cast of musicians from across the globe. This new label continues in the long tradition of open-mindedness and curiosity that has been a hallmark of Ravi's work.

The Nine Decades series will feature rare live performances hand-picked by Ravi. The series will focus decade by decade on performances that are particularly meaningful to the artist himself. In the fall of 2010, EMWMusic will release the George Harrison produced documentary on Ravi, called Raga. The soundtrack to the film will also be available.

The newly launched website, EastMeetsWestMusic.com, features release updates and performance information for both Ravi and Anoushka Shankar.


Nine Decades: Volume 1
LINER NOTES
What can East Meets West Music do that the other labels have not? It is a simple question that my family and I answered with a resounding, "Everything!" Our motivation was simple: In the last few decades I've seen various recording companies releasing my music with little or no input from me - repackaging releases with new art work and new titles and effectively misusing the public's trust. In the worst instances, my ragas have been sold as generic 'new age' mental and physical well-being potions, a tactic that ignores the classical musical form in which these ragas were composed and erases the history that lives in each. Except for the compositions Shanti Mantra and Hey Nath, and the release Chants of India, produced by George Harrison, all my music has been recorded within this traditional art form - a musical language I love and continue to study. With the help of my family and a few friends we launched East Meets West Music to once again bring this beautiful art form to the world. With this label we can continue to bring you my music and introduce to you the work of young musicians who share with me a philosophical respect for this spiritual mode of musical composition. It is with love that, as I complete my ninth decade and step into my tenth, I undertake this endeavor and I hope I can do justice to all the love and faith you have showered on me.

The Nine Decades series focuses on live performances, some recorded in public and others recorded in private, at home, so as to give you a glimpse of the life in a raga as it is performed for others. Many of these treasures were not recorded with sophisticated audio equipment and yet they exhibit the power of life in live performance that has a value beyond any technological shortcomings. Volume 1 features one such performance - a very special raga entitled Raga Gangeshwari. When I was on site for the filming of 'Raga' in 1968 and on the river Ganges, the pattern of this Raga came spontaneously in my mind like many of the authentic ragas. It was recorded early in the morning in a Temple near Allahabad. It is a swara bhed raga, born by shifting the tonic of a particular raga and creating a new work from an old one as follows:

S G M P D N S
S N D P M G S

Gangeshwari belongs, along with Kameshwari and Jogeshwari, to my original Raga Parameshwari, which I created in the early 1960s. On this recording, it is performed with Kamala Chakravarty on Tanpura and Ustad Alla Rakha on Tabla - one of the greatest Tabla players from the Punjab Gharana. His is a style both rhythmically complex as well as being lyrical and romantic. What Allah Rakha added to this tradition was his cherubic and happy personality which you can hear in this performance. He accompanied me in my travels all over the world for more than twenty-five years and I loved him very much. I hope you can hear him, the River Ganges, and the deep tradition that is Indian live performance in this recording I now share with you.

- Ravi Shankar, Delhi, India, February 2010

* * *

LINKS
www.eastmeetswestmusic.com
www.ravishankar.org
www.anoushkashankar.com

Mar 25th 2010
Imani Winds with Chamber Institute benefit-concert in NYC

t 8PM, April 15, at National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South), Imani Winds will perform an intimate program to benefit the first-ever Imani Winds' Chamber Music Institute. Tickets are $30 (minimum donation) and can be purchased here.

The program will feature music from the ensemble's upcoming release for E1 Entertainment, including works by Wayne Shorter, Jason Moran, Paquito D'Rivera, as well as Valerie Coleman and Jeff Scott. A champagne reception will follow!

Proceeds from the concert will benefit students in need who will be attending the Chamber Music Institute held at The Juilliard School, July 31-August 7, 2010. To make a tax-deductible contribution to the Scholarship Fund through the group's fiscal sponsor, The Field, click here.

Feb 23rd 2010
EMWMusic is not affiliated with Saregama

ast Meets West Music is not affiliated with Saregama, the Indian recording label, nor its US Licensee, Times Square Records. Releases from either of these companies do not have authorization, endorsement, or approval from Ravi Shankar, the Ravi Shankar Foundation or East Meets West Music.

Jan 30th 2010
Imaginary Johnny kicks off "2010 Project"

maginary Johnny is embarking on a once-a-month recording project in 2010. At the end of each month the band will visit Strange Weather Brooklyn to record a new song. Then, over the next month a video will be made for the tune. They hope.

The project launches with the song "Midwest Scorpions" covered by Illuminea. The video is by filmmaker Robert Greene, director of the recent feature-length documentary "Owning the Weather."

>>> IJ's YouTube Channel
>>> IJ's Vimeo Channel
>>> Facebook updates
>>> Twitter updates

The band looks forward to collaborating with many filmmakers and musicians over the course of the year. Filmmakers interested in working with a song can contact the band through their Facebook page.

Jan 28th 2010
The Ravi Shankar Foundation Launches Independent Record Label

he Ravi Shankar Foundation proudly announces the launch of East Meets West Music (EMWMusic). With the creation of EMWMusic, Ravi Shankar bridges any divide between his recorded music and his audience. With unique access to an astonishing archive featuring thousands of hours of live performance audio, film footage, interviews, and studio masters, the legendary sitarist and composer hopes to provide a glimpse into what has most inspired and shaped him in his 70-plus years on stage. And, in keeping with Ravi's dedication to looking forward and not back, EMWMusic provides a vibrant platform for new artists, projects, and collaborations.

"There is something beautiful about the stage. There is a performer and there is an audience. Nothing is in the way. The sound remains pure and unburdened by things like marketing and distribution. My hope is for this label to be more like a stage and less like the music business as I have experienced it." - Ravi Shankar

The name of the label, East Meets West, points to the Shankar philosophy of exploration, experimentation and cross-pollination. The vast archive features performances and appearances by an extraordinarily eclectic cast of musicians from across the globe. This new label continues in the long tradition of open-mindedness and curiosity that has been a hallmark of Ravi's work.

The debut release, Nine Decades: Volume One, is scheduled for Ravi's 90th birthday on April 7th. The Nine Decades series will feature rare live performances hand-picked by Ravi. The series will focus decade by decade on performances that are particulary meaningful to the artist himself. In the fall of 2010, EMWMusic will release the George Harrison produced documentary on Ravi, called Raga. The soundtrack to the film will also be available.

The newly launched website, EastMeetsWestMusic.com, features release updates and performance information for both Ravi and Anoushka Shankar.


LINKS
www.eastmeetswestmusic.com
www.ravishankar.org
www.anoushkashankar.com

>>> Facebook
>>> Twitter

Jan 21st 2010
Anonymous 4 looks forward to Disney Hall debut on March 17

nonymous 4 heads to Los Angeles for their Disney Hall debut on March 17, 2010. The group will perform "A Medieval Ladymass."

Jan 21st 2010
Imani Winds launch Chamber Music Institute: July 31-Aug 7

mani Winds' Chamber Music Institute will be held at The Juilliard School at Lincoln Center from July 31-Aug 7, 2010. The institute will be an intensive 8-day program devoted to excellence in wind chamber music performance.

Woodwind and French horn players ages 18-and-over will rehearse and perform in ensembles that receive daily coaching. Students will have the opportunity to perform solo and chamber music repertoire frequently with members of Imani Winds and notable guest artists.

Jan 11th 2010
New Imani Winds' recording in the works

mani Winds have a new recording slated for early fall 2010. The new album features commissioned works by Paquito D'Rivera, Jason Moran and Wayne Shorter. Special guests include Paquito D'Rivera on clarinet and Alex Brown on piano. The group is thrilled to be recording some of the newest and most inspired work to be added to the chamber music wind repertoire. Each of these pieces were a part of Imani Wind's Legacy Commissioning Project.

Dec 9th 2009
Imani Winds' holiday sheet music is now available

or the first time, the complete line of wind quintet sheet music from the Imani Winds' album, This Christmas with Imani Winds is available for purchase in the form of PDF downloads.

Alternate instruments/substitute parts (saxophone, etc) are available for all titles at additional cost.

Listen to the complete album at Amazon.com, or itunes.

Please email for further information.

Aug 26th 2009
Anonymous 4 chant compilation released on September 8

nonymous 4's Four Centuries of Chant, on harmonia mundi, was released on September 8, 2009. The celebrated vocal quartet presents a stellar collection of some of the greatest medieval chants culled from its many acclaimed recordings.

Jul 31st 2009
Imani Winds with two NYC summer appearances: one free and one with Paquito!

s Imani Winds prepares for another very busy season, they will be appearing in NYC for two very different summer concerts.

AUGUST 4
Imani Winds will be performing at the Naumburg Band Shell in Central Park on August 4, as part of the Naumburg Summer Concert Series. The concert -- featuring the work of Piazzolla, Barber and Ligeti - starts at 7:30 PM and is free.

AUGUST 13
Imani Winds is taking part in the annual National Flute Association Convention (Aug. 13-16) with a performance on August 13 with Paquito D'Rivera. The group will be performing work written for them by D'Rivera. The show is at 11:00 PM at the Broadway Ballroom (1535 Broadway).

Tickets are $25/$20 for students, and can be purchased on the 5th floor of the Marriott Marquis (Broadway at 46th) from 7-9:00 PM on August 12 and from 8-5:00 PM on August 13, or by calling the NFA Information Booth at 212-536-4994 during those hours. Tickets will also be available at the door.

May 28th 2009
Imani Winds' Legacy Commissioning Project: A status report

he Imani Winds are in the midst of a five-year commissioning project that commemorates the ensemble's tenth anniversary through the commissioning of ten compositions by established and emerging composers of color.

Below is an updated list of what has happened so far, and what is in the works.

* * *

Stefon Harris / Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal and Wind)
September 25, 2009 @ University of Iowa / Iowa City, IA
September 30, 2009 @ Penn State University / State College, PA
October 2, 2009 @ Cal Poly Arts / San Luis Obispo, CA
October 4, 2009 @ San Francisco Performances / San Francisco, CA
January 29, 2010 @ Denison University / Granville, OH

Jason Moran / Cane
October 24, 2008 @ Kimmel Center / Philadelphia, PA (world premiere)
October 27, 2008 @ Quick Center for the Arts / Fairfield, CT
May 7, 2009 @ Merkin Hall / NYC

Danilo Perez
premiere date unknown
title tba

Daniel Bernard Roumain / Five Chairs and One Table
March 8, 2009 @ Carnegie Hall / NYC (world premiere)

Jeff Scott
premiere date unknown
title tba

Simon Shaheen
premiere date unknown (Notre Dame spring 2010)
title tba

Wayne Shorter / Terra Incognita
August 16, 2006 @ La Jolla Music Society / La Jolla, CA (world premiere)
October 12, 2006 @ Library of Congress
November 3, 2006 @ Da Camera of Houston / Houston, TX
December 2, 2008 @ Carnegie Hall / NYC
May 7, 2009 @ Merkin Hall / NYC

Roberto Sierra / Concierto de Camara
July 21, 22, 2008 @ Chamber Music Northwest / Portland, OR (World Premiere)
July 27, 28, 2008 @ Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival / Santa Fe, NM
November 6, 2008 @ Peace Center / Greenville, SC
November 19, 2008 @ Stanford Lively Arts / Palo Alto, CA
November 17, 2009 @ Chamber Music Society at Yale Series / New Haven, CT

Alvin Singleton / Through it All
February 8, 2008 @ Spivey Hall at Clayton State University / Morrow, GA (World Premiere)
October 9, 2008 @ Lake Wales, Fl
October 26, 2008 @ Brooklyn Public Library (NYC Premiere)
January 24, 2009 @ Oakridge, TN

Feb 16th 2009
Imani Winds to perform the world premiere of Stefon Harris' Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal and Wind)

usic Accord, a national consortium of classical music presenting organizations, has commissioned jazz Vibraphonist/Marimbist Stefon Harris to create a collaborative work for himself and Imani Winds. With members from top presenting organizations such as Tanglewood, San Francisco Premiere Performances, Penn State, CMS Lincoln Center, and the Coleman Association, Music Accord has commissioned more than twenty works since 1997. Over the next several monts, the ensemble will work closely with Stefon to develop a new concept of American chamber music; this concept focuses on integrating improvisation and American music forms into chamber music.

Says the composer, "This work is a live demonstration of a sonic painting in which we experiment with blending the textures of our instruments. We will blur the lines between improvisation and composition, and in turn, between classical and jazz, by introducing improvisation to the woodwind quintet. The woodwinds will provide a conceptual airway for the vibes and marimba to breathe and in exchange the mallet instruments will create an organic rhythmic stability and foundation from which the melody flows. In its proper relationship this will create harmony, unity and a a sense of oneness. The piece is about the give and take interplay of this relationship, as exemplified through the Law of Cause and Effect."

This piece will premiere in the fall of 2009.

Feb 7th 2009
Imani Winds to participate in Carnegie Hall's Honor! Festival

n March 5 and March 8, Imani Winds have been invited to take part in Carnegie Hall's Honor! Festival. The festival is a celebration of the African American cultural legacy, curated by Jessye Norman.

Imani Winds will be performing the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain's Five Chairs and One Table, as well as the New York premiere of Jason Moran's Cane.

Feb 6th 2009
"The Loathly Lady" World Premiere on April 1, 2009

new comic opera,
The Loathly Lady, with music by Paul Richards and words by Wendy Steiner is being premiered on April 1 at University of Pennsylvania's Irvine Auditorium. The event is the finale of the 10th annual Penn Humanities Forum.

The Loathly Lady is an original comic work in three acts. The plot is based on Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale (c. 1400), in which a cruel knight must discover what women want most. The Loathly Lady's knight meets a series of opinionated characters in the course of his questing -- Sigmund Freud, Jane Austen's Emma, Sheherezade, Virginia Woolf, Shakespeare's Titania, the Lady of Shalott.

In this comedy of male-female misunderstanding, magic and science come to blows in the figures of Merlin and Freud. Can we speak to each other across the gulfs of time and gender and world view? The answer is "perhaps," and the process of finding out, we hope, will be a feast for the ears, the mind, and the heart.

* * *

THE CAST:

Julianne Baird, Soprano


Maiden/Elf Queen/Lady of Shalott/Loathly Lady

Jeffrey Behrens, Tenor


Freud/Oberon

Ruth Cunningham, Soprano


Titania/Virginia Woolf/Lady-in-Waiting #1

Susan Hellauer, Alto


Queen Guenevere/Emma Woodhouse

Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek, Soprano


Sheherezade/Eliza Doolittle/Lady-in-Waiting #2

Thomas Meglioranza, Baritone


Knight

Drew Minter, Countertenor


Merlin

Gary Thor Wedow, Conductor

Parthenia, A Consort of Viols

Piffaro, The Renaissance Band

Nov 19th 2008
Imani Winds at Carnegie for Wayne Shorter's 75th Birthday Bash

fter two years of amazing concerts and collaborations, Imani Winds will help Wayne Shorter celebrate his 75th birthday at Carnegie Hall on December 2 and at Disney Hall in Los Angeles on December 10. The concerts will feature the original work for Imani Winds, Terra Incognita, as well as new works performed with the Wayne Shorter Quartet.

Nov 10th 2008
Likeness to Lily celebrate Farewell, Recruit release December 5 at Galapagos

rooklyn "chamber pop" ensemble Likeness to Lily releases Farewell, Recruit on Friday, December 5, 2008. The album contains 12 original songs that document emotional narratives of courage, vulnerability, resignation and struggle to find hope in war-time America. At the heart of the material is Oetgen's knack for poetic storytelling, and her ability to connect to the listener. The quartet, which includes Susan Oetgen, pianist Tony Melone, bassist Ian M. Riggs and drummer Evan Pazner, paints intimate portraits drawing inspiration from the worlds of jazz (standards and otherwise), folk and classical.

Likeness to Lily will be hosting their CD release party at Galapogos (16 Main Street, in DUMBO, Brooklyn) on Friday, December 5. Doors at 7PM/Show at 8PM. Tickets are $15, with $20 getting you a ticket plus a copy of the CD. Tickets are available at galapagosartspace.com.

The evening includes sets by Andrew Shapiro, Fire in July, Cynthia Hopkins, and Likeness to Lily. Additionally, Likeness to Lily's poignant and timely multimedia song-cycle Bazm-o-Razm will be performed. These musicians all share a unique hard-to-categorize quality. To each of these artists the integrity of the song is paramount; while at the same time, each pushes the boundaries of our notion of what a song is or should be. Likeness to Lily is thrilled to celebrate their record release with an evening of honest-to-goodness 21st century art song.


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Tracked by Joel Hamburger at Godelstring Studios in Brooklyn, Farewell, Recruit features an all-star line-up of Brooklyn compatriots. Guest artists include Franz Nicolay (The Hold Steady, Guignol, World Inferno/Friendship Society) on accordion, violinist Max Moston (Antony & The Johnsons, Keren Ann, Slow Six), Peter Hess (Guignol, World Inferno/Friendship Society, Balkan Beat Box) on clarinet and flute, guitarist Jeremiah Lockwood (The Sway Machinery, Balkan Beat Box), Kevin Louis (Pyeng Threadgill, Howard Fishman) on trumpets, Jeremy Thal (The Instruments) on French horn, flutist Dave Wechsler (Brooklyn Philharmonic), cellist Marlan Barry and guitarist Richard Miller.

Since forming in 2003, Likeness to Lily has been a regular in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn clubs such as the Living Room and Rockwood Music Hall. They've recently appeared on more formal concert series in performing arts venues on the East Coast, notably on the Vermont Arts Exchange's Basement Music Series in North Bennington, VT, and as a featured artist at Washington, DC's Busboys & Poets. Additionally, the group has performed their multimedia performance piece Bazm-o-Razm as part of the Brooklyn Philharmonic's Music off the Walls series at the Brooklyn Museum, and at The Performance Project at the historic University Settlement in New York's Lower East Side.

Oct 15th 2008
Imani Winds to Premiere Jason Moran's Cane

n October 24, as part of the Kimmel Center's Fresh Ink Series in Philadelphia, Imani Winds will premiere Jason Moran's Cane.

Sep 23rd 2008
Imaginary Johnny at CMJ 2008

e're pleased to announce that Imaginary Johnny will be on the CMJ schedule this year, with a showcase on October 23 at Rehab. The bill includes Starcode, Lucinda Black Bear, Kaiser Cartel, and Sky Cries Mary.

Jul 24th 2008
Imani Winds' Valerie Coleman receives MAP Fund grant for opera

oleman received a $32,000 MAP Fund grant in support of Legacy, a new operatic work based on the life of Stanley Tookie Williams, co-founder of the Crips street gang. Williams became an anti-gang activist during his twenty years on California's death row. Stanley's life took many turns, from founding the Crips to fervent anti-gang activism, authoring a number of books condemning the life of street gangs and steering children and adults alike away from them. In recognition for his international activism, he became a multiple nominee for Nobel Prizes for peace and in literature. All of this was accomplished while on death row, having been convicted of multiple homicide and sentenced to die by lethal injection.

This work is written for a 23-piece orchestra, utilizing both legitimate theatrical and operatic voice types, maintaining musical theatre accessibility, yet totally immersed in operatic traditions.

Coleman states that "Although this work contains elements of popular culture (the work utilizes a full orchestra and DJ, alongside original samplings of crunk and West Coast hip-hop sounds-ghetto funk), it is still fully based within a contemporary idiom, featuring combinations of romantic and contemporary style melodies, modern jazz, African sounds/percussion, and even gospel music, within ostinato fashion. The goal was to create an operatic work that vividly portrays urban life, painting a picture of Mr. Williams' actions on the street, in prison, his spiritual change, and journey to Death Row."

The world premiere of Legacy, in concert form with three full-orchestra performances, is scheduled for December 11, 12, & 13 of 2009 in New York.

Jul 24th 2008
Imani Winds' Legacy Commissioning Project kicks into high gear

mani Winds continues to commemorate it's 10th Anniversary with the next two world premieres of it's Legacy Commissioning Project. With an ambitious goal of forever expanding the wind quintet repertoire, the project's first premiere was at Spivey Hall in February with Alvin Singleton's Through It All. The project continues with the premieres of both Roberto Sierra's Concierto de Camara on July 21 at Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Oregon, and Jason Moran's Cane at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia on October 24th.

The July performances will not only highlight Roberto Sierra's Concierto de Camara, a rare collaboration of wind quintet and string quartet, but will also include a world premiere of Valerie Coleman's Nonet. Over the next three years, Imani Winds (and only the Imani Winds) will be performing Sierra's work with some of North America's top string quartets, beginning with Miami String Quartet in Portland.

The Legacy Commissioning Project launches Imani Winds into its second decade of pushing boundaries and the very definition of contemporary American chamber music. Over the next five years, from 2008-2012, Imani Winds will be commissioning, premiering and touring ten new works for woodwind quintet written by established and emerging composers of various ethnicities. This project will explore new musical frontiers creating an important body of repertoire for the wind quintet. The composers, diligently chosen, originate from different points of the globe bringing with them not only classical music but strong elements of jazz, middle eastern, Latin and genre-breaking sounds. Stay tuned for the upcoming Stefon Harris sextet commissioned by the Music Accord and the Simon Shaheen Quintet commissioned by the DeBartolo Center at the University of Notre Dame.

Jul 2nd 2008
Imaginary Johnny in-studio/interview featured on WOXY.com

he band visited the venerable online radio station while on tour in June. The performance and interview were broadcast live and are available for download at WOXY.com.

Jun 24th 2008
Imani Winds tour Europe with the Wayne Shorter Quartet

mani Winds are currently in Europe with the Wayne Shorter Quartet. In early July they are performing in France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Dates and venues are available on the group's Myspace page .

They have more dates scheduled with Shorter in the fall, including performances at Carnegie Hall and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.